South Korea plans to host the World Forestry Congress (WFC), the world's largest gathering of foresters, in May this year, government officials said Friday.

The 15th WFC is scheduled to take place at Seoul's COEX from May 2-6, according to the Korea Forest Service (KFS).

The WFC is the largest and most influential gathering of the world's forestry sector, and it has been held every six years under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

It also provides a unique opportunity to strengthen international cooperation with forest supporters and intersectoral partners by sharing expertise and experiences and projecting a vision of the future roles of forests in global sustainable development, the KFS said.

This year's congress is expected to be the largest ever with the participation of about 10,000 people, including government officials, representatives of international organizations, civic activists and scholars from over 100 countries, it said. (Yonhap)